A/n: I know, I know two updates in one week? Truth be told I'm just as anxious as you guys for the real story to begin, however I have to build the world. The world our characters live in after all this is a slow burn Bellamione. To all my readers please, please all stay safe. This will all pass and become a distant memory.
Warning: this story will deal with violence, sexual mentions and rated for over adults. TAGS: Corruption, violence, mentions of rape, murder, child abuse and illnesses. Warnings will be in place from the star of each story.
CHAPTER Warning: Mentions of child abuse.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters and no money has been made from this.
Enjoy...
Part Five
Brothers and sisters
"It gives me strength to have somebody to fight for; I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill."
― Emilie Autumn, The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls
Six days since curfew…
She jolts awake, sweating she rubs her tired eyes staring around the empty living room. Neck aching from the position she was sleeping Bella leans forward. Surprised to see the sun slowly setting and the night rolling in. She doesn't need to get ready for work she has a day off.
Cracking her neck, she summons her elf, curious as to how long she slept. It appears with a crack in front of her, a slight bow. She'd never admit but she likes this elf, there's a fierce streak to it. She should have kicked the elf out of service, but Bella likes its punk. The raised eyebrow as Rome waits for a question or a demand. Despite the attitude, the elf is fiercely loyal something she learnt when she got into a brawl with an Ex. She never knew an Elf could cast such a hex, but she would love to see Rome throw another.
"How long did I sleep for?" Bella questions the waiting elf.
"Four hours, you had a guest, but I shooed them away."
"You should have woken me," Bella mutters rubbing her neck.
"Mistress needs rest, that was the orders of the healer," Rome responds, folding her arms. "Besides I took note."
Accepting the note, Bella waves the elf away ignoring the order to eat something before she does anything else. Food materialises in front of her, the elfs busy, no one rests when Rome is in charge and Bella quite likes it that way. Dipping the bread into the sauce she flicks open the letter chewing thoughtfully.
Bella, evening drinks, local haunt.
A.
Nodding, Bella accepts the invitation, hurrying to finish her dinner, before rushing to change. The group will be there by now, she cannot let Alice out drink her, not tonight.
She arrives in the humid heat, early summer, marching through the cobbled streets. It's eerie as nothing stirs curfew well underway, very few have breached the law. The odd drunk stumbling to the pub but they let them slide. No Activists not yet.
The shot burns her throat, Alice already far ahead in drinking, Frank chatting with Potter in the distance discussing Quidditch. Hidden in their booth, Bella watches the Aurors mingle with the police drinking their woes away. The room is loud with chatter and the music on full blast.
"So, that's how I ended up doing the splits." Alice summarises hiccupping.
Blinking, Bella regards the witch she seriously missed the first half of the conversation. When did Alice do the splits, she didn't even know the witch was that flexible?
"Chasing… you weren't listening, you bitch." Alice mumbles shooting some more fire whiskey.
"Sorry."
"It's alright blamed your head injury."
"It's not that."
"No? You've been pretty vacant lately, want to share?" Alice questions.
"It's work."
"Well duh, you don't have a life."
"Rude," Bella grumbles taking her shot. "These activists they got in my head."
"Got in all our heads."
"I feel like I have it, the answer I can taste it, I know who it is. But it's all circumstantial, merlin's beads it's not even that."
"It's not the activists, it's Riddle in your head."
"What?"
"Riddle, his got it in your head that this is all your fault because you had some holiday. Well bull, you deserve to have a life, Bella."
"Being an Auror is everything to me."
"You're meant to work to live not the other way around."
"I don't need a lecture," Bella mutters reclining further into the chair. "I get enough of that from Cissy."
Smiling, Alice just pats Bella's hand. A few years ago, Bella would have cursed the witch now though, they grew as friends the only few female Aurors. They bonded over a gritty case, something that keeps them both awake at night. Whereas Alice is moving on, her own house a husband probably a child in the future. Bella remains alone in a dusty old house chasing mudbloods late at night. Maybe Alice was right, she needs to learn to have a life outside of work.
"Besides, the curfew seems to have done the job it's quiet," Alice comments haphazardly filling their glasses.
"Suspiciously quiet, you think they'll take the curfew lying down?" Bella remarks flicking dirt from beneath her nails.
"I don't think they have a choice." James Potter announces approaching their table as Frank slides in next to Alice. "We're monitoring everything."
"Doesn't mean shit," Bella warns darkly. "People always find a way."
"Oh, don't be such a drone this is the first night we've all had off in weeks. Let us drink our sorrows away." Alice chants chugging another glass.
"Or we could slow down with the drinking," Frank cautions.
Chuckling, James helps himself to the whiskey, wincing as it burns his throat. She forgets how new Potter is to the team. Still a decent duellist, she could imagine him head Auror one day. A roar of laughter breaks out from across the room. As Robinson stands covered in his drink Fabian Prewett laughing. His brother Gideon crouched on the floor laughing so hard he's crying. Around them, other Auror's are chanting.
She smirks at the brothers; they bring some sense of laughter to the job. She always wondered what made the Prewett brothers join the police, they could bring such laughter to the world. She supposes like many others they were told to become something honourable. What's more honourable than being part of Law enforcement or that of the Ministry. It's why they were all here.
Bella should be a stay at home mother, but since her cousin Sirius, the lazy bum couldn't get his act together it fell to Bella to represent the family. So, she stood to take her father's place, she became head of the Black family. Took care of the finances and brought honour to them all by becoming the youngest Lieutenant and only witch to earn the title in the Law Enforcement.
"Where's Yaxley?" Bella questions noticing the time. "Shouldn't he be here by now?"
"Some sort of meeting," Frank answers sipping his orange juice. "He said he'd be here afterwards"
"Yeah meeting," Bella snorts. "More like seeing his bit of stuff."
They all knew Yaxley and his secretary were a strange item. Despite Yaxley being married, the man had a taste for his workers.
"I bet the Lestrange brothers are pissed," Potter comments.
"Guarding the Ministry tonight," Alice laughs. "Oh, they gonna be pissy tomorrow, glad I'm not in."
"Thanks," Both Frank and James mutter at the same time.
They chatter aimlessly, about upcoming events and work in general. Alice passes out halfway through the night, they take turns drawing on her face. They laugh at the plight of the Lestrange brothers, Scrimgeour not yet ready to release the brothers fully out into the world. What damage can they do at the Ministry?
"Not the chicken!" Alice shouts jerking awake. "Frank it's that chicken again!"
Snorting, Bella chokes on her drink watching as Alice clutches to Frank's robes. The desperation in her tone, still half asleep.
"It's fine darling, we're not at home," Frank reassures.
"Chicken?" Bella laughs.
"We have a chicken that comes in the garden, likes to peck at the windows, makes a lot of noise throughout the night."
"Cluck, cluck clucking!" Alice hisses.
"That's what chickens do." Bella chuckles.
"Laugh Black, but you wouldn't be laughing if you had a cock at the end of your bed at three in the morning."
"And that's just Frank." Fabian comments.
The room erupts, Bella cackles as Frank flushes red. She missed this, misses spending time with her colleagues, her friends. Alice eventually joins in with the laughing, tears leaking from her face. Elaborating on the hen and cockerel that have terrorised the newly married couple.
"Didn't know Frank was that big!" Gideon shouts much to the roar of laughter.
"You've been holding back on us, Longbottom!" Susan Bones chirps in.
"Hey, hands to yourself Bones," Alice threatens. "I have enough hens clucking around after my cock."
Choking on her drink, Bella slams the glass down, a laughing fit and coughing on her drink.
"Black's choking at the thought!" A voice shouts.
"Too much to handle, hey Longbottom!"
Grinning, Alice places a kiss to Frank's flushed cheek rubbing his back.
"What's the secret Longbottom, I could give Potter a tip."
"Fuck off!" Potter calls.
"It's simple," Frank comments. "Birdseed."
Bella wouldn't think it possible for the laughter to get any louder, she watches them all. Her colleagues, enjoying themselves. Her brother and sisters in arms, the thin blue line between right and wrong.
Silence falls.
A red light illuminates the room through the blinds, it casts shadows across their faces. A single flare into the dark sky, they watch it rise into the darkness. Suspended in a state of disbelief the flare glows brightly before slowly falling back to Earth. With bated breath they watch the sky, a single flare means nothing, there are others out tonight.
Dawn of red, except the sun, is not due for hours. The sky alight with flares, slowly at first a trickle, like a storm it begins to pour into the night. Flares burning so bright they cast out the moon. They're all moving, feet pounding against the cold slate floor, the doorbell jingling as they exit the pub.
The cracking of apparition, those who didn't drink spearhead the charge, those like Bella who drank are forced to run. As fast as they are charging through the streets, Potter leading the way. Wands drawn the sound of their feet pounding, echoing off the cobbled street. The clicking of locks, the eyes peering from locked windows and doors.
"Stay in your houses!" A voice booms, so loud it makes even Bella jump. "Remain in your houses, the curfew is still in effect."
Panting, she stumbles to a stop outside the ministry, to the gathering police and Aurors. Why did you send the flares? She barks an order, maybe it's a request, she's not sure but people are moving. Her head is spinning, the alcohol playing havoc on her, she shouldn't have drunk so much. Spluttering answers, most don't know why the flares went up, it's when she pushes past the group she stops.
Yaxley… She stares at the Ministry worker strung up in front of the Ministry, gagged, with only his pants to hide his modesty. Stepping forward, Bella notices the paper stuck to the man's chest as he hangs suspended in the air. Red slur written across his chest, sickening red against the pale skin, it reminds her too much of Granger's interview, this word is very different, however.
Pedo.
Casting her gaze away from the red slur, she stares at the paper in her hands. The People's Prophet. A mockery of the real paper, a single front page with multiple pictures of Yaxley, with underaged girls. Girls in Hogwarts's uniform, their scared eyes pleading at the camera, some unconscious with Yaxley standing over them.
"Shit," Potter breathes staring at the paper in her hands.
"There's moreover here," Bones shouts moving to the paper-strewn on the ground.
"And here,"
"Here."
"Get him down," Bella orders, nodding to Yaxley. "Get all of these, all of them!"
"Stop!" Bones shouts it's too late.
An officer picks up one of the papers, at his touch the paper explodes. Hundreds of more pages erupt into the air, flooding the officer. Geminio charm, like a fountain paper, burst into the air. Multiplying on contact with the floor with their hands.
They scramble between them to remove the curses and collect the papers, some officers set to burning them. Others ensuring the public stay indoors, as several Aurors divide searching for more papers and the potential idiots who created them.
"Few," Fabian mutters. "Not the workout I needed."
A muttered chuckle follows his words, panting, they relax as the last few papers are contained. Bella won't relax until they all burn, they all turn to ash. Once more the night falls quiet, a reassuring sound, the murmuring of officers and Auror's alike. A laugh here and there, she releases a breath as the last paper burns.
"So… Pub?" Fabian questions.
Laughing, Bella runs a hand through her hair, patting Potter on the back, they did well to get this under control. The sound of puking from a few who had too much to drink. She feels nauseous herself; her feet ache and she wants nothing more than to go to bed.
"Forget the pub, I need food." Bones calls, she stares at Yaxley sitting by the steps to the Ministry.
"What of him?" Potter asks the question on Bella's mind. "If this is real…"
"We investigate, like anything else, innocent until proven guilty," Bella reassures deep down though she knows of his guilt. "We'll show this to the…"
She trails off, straining to listen, earning a look from Potter.
"Quiet," Bella orders, before shouting it once more to shush the crowd. "Shut IT!"
A new unsettling silence takes over, Bella swore she heard something. Perhaps it's the alcohol playing tricks on her mind, heaven knows she drank far too much.
"There," Alice mumbles, "You see it."
Gazing upwards, they do see it, the window to one of the Ministry rooms seems to be bulging. The wood expanding almost, a creaking noise filling the silence. What on Earth? The glass cracks, something heavy pressing against the window.
"And there!"
"There!"
All the windows are bulging, so is the main door to the Ministry. What is happening, what magic was this. Clutching her wand, she indicates for two to go inspect the doors. She swears if this is the brothers playing a prank on them hell have no fury when she gets hold of them.
It clicks far too late; she likes to blame her alcohol for the failing. Her warning falls flat as the officers pull open the door to the ministry. If they had fountains of paper, they had just unleashed the waterfall. The doors burst open thousands of papers flood the street multiplying on the impact. The windows break showering the ground with glass as more papers burst forth.
"Get them." Potter orders.
Deflated, Bella watches as the wind carries the paper away spreading them far wider than they could catch. The sky rains with paper, flooding the streets, the Ministry damaged, their reputation damaged and Yaxley sitting deflated on the ground.
From the mess of papers, the Lestrange brother emerges, covered in paper cuts panting as though they've been chasing the papers all night. Sighing, Bella stares at the paper in her hand, as lights switch-on in houses. She refuses to acknowledge the mess around her as she studies the paper.
1st edition.
The Ministry places us on Curfew but allows this monster to stroll the streets with children in danger.
She stops reading, cannot take the reading, the potential. Yaxley is ruined, the Minister's chance of re-election tainted. Possibly damaged, she's not sure how he will ride this wave. All she knows is right now, she wants to puke.
~~~~~ Curfew ~~~~~
Seven days, twenty-one hours since Curfew…
It's bitter, strong as it burns her throat and clears her lungs. Vodka, a muggle drink, she asked for strong. It doesn't feel strong enough, they promise it's more than forty per cent, she doesn't understand what that means. Merely smiled, slinking to a table in the back another reminder that she doesn't fit in.
Nevertheless, she doesn't fit in with the others, she learnt that at a young age. She chugs her drink, wishing to burn more than her sorrows. Maybe her doubts, drown the demons in her mind. She clutches her glass like a lifeline because without it she would scream.
All around they sing, they chant and laugh, comrades in arms. Arms she doesn't belong to, because her blood runs pure. Still even now, after everything, they watch her, dubious eyes darting towards her. They don't trust her because her name remains Black and their demon is a Black who hunts them at night. They are one they appear like one, same hair, but she is not a Black never a true Black.
Right now, she is nothing other than an apprentice at the hospital. A pitiful position, especially for someone of her birth, with her knowledge. Her choices led her to this, her name taboo to those she calls friends and an omen to her work. The disowned Black, she had hoped it wouldn't be this hard. She's been fighting with them since school, best friends with three vital muggleborns, but she remains a pureblood to most.
"Andie, Hello!" Lily interrupts her musings, sloshing her drink everywhere. "Are you listening?"
"Yes," Andie lies, it's second nature these days.
"No, you're not."
An uncomfortable silence falls over them, Lily a sister, a real sister who was there for her at school. They were everything to one another, they were missing a third of the trio and that was the problem. Demons murmur in her ear, one she tries to drown with alcohol, it should be a night of celebration. Their latest stunt worked better than they could anticipate. The Ministry finally understanding they were not going away, curfew or not.
A cheer from the corner of the room, she recognises Ted talking, driving their little group wild. They were making waves; the world will remember them for this. Whistling, Lily cheers with the crowd cheering for Ted and Hermione.
They were the reason for her mood, for the tightening in her chest. As muggle music fills their little hideaway pub. As the crowd grows loud and cheers to dancing on tables. I hate her. She ignores the voice, the demon, the alcohol giving it a voice. Repulsion, it turns the alcohol to bile in her throat and she struggles to swallow.
He barely looks at me like that… She swigs again at the thought, as Hermione arm in arm with Ted bask in their latest conquest. As older muggleborns shake their head not enjoying the rush the new rebellion is creating. Together Hermione and Ted have made more strides in gathering support than any in the last several years. A bond formed in school, unbreakable bond, two muggleborns destined to bring hope.
She watches the closeness of the friends, doubts always whispering in her mind. Is there anything more? Hermione isn't like that; Ted isn't like that. They are engaged to be married, a day she cannot wait to become Mrs Tonks. Would the activists still look at her with distrust, would they continue to look down on her?
Lily excuses herself from the table searching for more alcohol. If she were a better sister, Andie would tell her to slow down. Drinking herself into a stupor, would not bring her love back. She has never seen her friend so broken, so lost. Despite their strides, Lily bears the brunt that they cannot marry outside of their circle. Potter, her crush, her once lover to be married to some other Pureblood. A Pandora someone, she cannot recall the last name, met her once at a party a long time ago. Airy type, flaky, pretty girl but not all there to be married and Lily to lose her lover to a tradition.
Approaching the table, Ted sends a wink at Andie, it feeds her demon. Never one for public display of affection, it feeds the jealousy and in turn, makes her hate herself more. An odd handshake something they've done from school. Both Hermione and Ted spitting in their hands before shaking. A muggle thing apparently, Ted never did explain, it was his and Hermione's thing.
"Speak later, sweet." He's gone before she can even reply, disappearing into the cheering crowd.
Bye… Helping herself, Hermione takes a swig of the vodka on offer, receiving the odd pat on the back from passing activists. A giant brute of a man, a friend of Hermione's, Dirk Cresswell, a year below them at school.
"You should have seen Black's face." Dirk laughs gaining Andie's attention. "She went out like a light."
"Thank you," Hermione replies with a smile. "I was sure she was going to catch me."
"Any chance to knock the bitch out," Dirk smirks.
Swallowing, Andie rises to from her seat she cannot take it anymore. No one sees her here; her bloody fiancé doesn't even acknowledge her. She exits the pub aware of the looks, the judging looks. I'M ON YOUR SIDE! She wants to scream at them, she's one of them. She's lost everything, everything her family, her name and still, they doubt her.
"Andie," Hermione catches up with her, with her worried brown eyes.
Their exit has caused a slight stir, but Hermione saves them, saves Andie again from judgement by pulling out cigarettes. Andie doesn't smoke, but on this occasion, she needs one, she still nags Hermione to quit.
Taking a lungful, she remembers why she doesn't smoke, even as Hermione relaxes next to her in the drizzle. Hair fizzing out in the contact with the muggy air, she doesn't bat an eye. Her cool collected friend, her sister who gains more attention from Andie's fiancé.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asks never beating around the bush. "You're ignoring me."
"I'm ignoring you?" Andie replies angrily. "You've been attached at the hip with my fiancé for fuck sake."
It's not a pretty quality, perhaps her very worse. Jealousy's a ravenous beast never full, always hungry. Something that she shares with her family her very own trait one she could never shake, possessiveness and jealousy. There's the black in you, Sirius always so happy to point the green-eyed monster out.
"Nothing's going on," It's a sign, not even an outright refusal, a cold slap to the face as though Hermione is tired of this chat. "He's like a brother to me, you know that."
She does know that she sees it. It's not the point though, because whenever Hermione is there then Andie becomes second, always second to Hermione. The last thought, because Ted is too wrapped up in the cause, that he only wants to talk to Hermione. It hurts each time, every time and it's not Hermione's fault. But she's so fucking tired of playing second fiddle to her best friend. I hate you sometimes…
"You do know that, don't you?" Hermione repeats stamping out her fag. "Andie?"
"I know." She snaps, she hates herself for it, because those big brown soulful eyes reflect every emotion. "He adores you; you know."
"He's my …"
"Brother, I know, you both keep saying. Do you have any idea to be a second thought to your fiancé? That he looks forward to seeing my best friend more than he does me. I lost everything you know that joining this group and I'm treated to this day as an outsider. An outsider. You're my best fucking friend and even you keep things from me."
She refuses to look at Hermione because the tears are burning her eyes. Her heart feels as though it's breaking but she knows she'll probably end up going home with Ted tonight. That they'll make love into the early hours and everything will be forgotten until the next time.
"I don't keep them from you because I don't trust you." Hermione answers after a moments silence. "I keep them from you to keep you safe. The same way I keep Lily safe."
"You sound like Bellatrix; I don't tell you, Andie, because I'm protecting you. Well, fuck you." Hermione recoils at the insult it's below the belt but Andie hurts so much right now.
"I'm needed at the shop," Hermione murmurs checking the time.
Andie fails to point out that it's nearly one in the morning, what on earth does her boss need currently? However, she understands. After all, they don't have a choice but to answer the calls of their bosses because they're all replaceable. Especially muggleborns.
She supposes Hermione takes the high ground when she doesn't mention that at least Andie had something to lose. Not like the rest of them who were bullied, spat on at school and still are. She was safe, is still safe in some ways because her sister causes fear. Even if she is disowned, no one wants to make Bellatrix turn up on their door.
"You're my best friend," Hermione speaks softly pulling Andie into a hug one she fails to reciprocate. "My sister and I are sorry. I just don't want to see you hurt; I promise. From now on I'll bring you into more plans, I'll see you later."
A kiss to the side of the head before she apparates into the night, her anger boils. Self-hatred, annoyance and the pity from Hermione makes her curse the world. Makes her curse her best friend, burn in hell. She hates the thought smacking the wall in front of her, she presses her forehead against the stone. The wet helps cool her, soaks her almost as a pair of arms wrap around her from behind.
"Nothing's going on, you know that, don't you?" Lily whispers leaning her head on Andie's shoulder.
"Yes," Andy whispers deflated.
"Still it isn't easy."
No, it isn't, but Andie cannot take the self-loathing from Lily anymore. Should never see a sad Lily, it means the world is truly fucked up if those green eyes are dull, they should shine like the emeralds they are. Wrapping her arms around her friend, Andie promises she'll make it to Hermione in the morning.
"Come on, let's go finish this party off at home," Andie says wiping her tears away, she cups Lily's face. "Let us drink and eat chocolate, dance the night away waiting for Hermione to get home. Then tomorrow let's go for lunch."
"We don't have the money," Lily mumbles, but the shine is already returning.
"I've got enough."
"Let's get smashed!" Lily chants happily.
Let's, tomorrow I'll make it up to Hermione.
A/n: So, I'm sorry that's all I'm going to say. Shit's getting real and this is your only warning. Also fanfiction has gone quiet so I really hope everyone is okay. Till the next update...